NYKCooL Selects Jeppesen Marine
Jeppesen Marine has signed a contract agreement with NYKCool AB to install its Vessel and Voyage Optimization Solution (VVOS) aboard a class of refrigeration carriers trading from the Caribbean and Central America to Northern Europe.
The decision to fit VVOS on the ships was made by NYKCool following an extensive sea trial that revealed a measurable improvement in fuel conservation, seakeeping and schedule integrity. The ship officers utilized both the on-board VVOS program and Jeppesen Marine’s 24/7 routing guidance center during the trial.
Tom King, Jeppesen Marine senior business development executive, noted that Jeppesen Marine offers a 45-day trial and evaluation period to allow prospective customers to experience for themselves the unique value proposition offered by the VVOS product. “Our patent-pending Hindsight analysis tool provides extensive after-voyage reports on metrics for key performance indicators, such as fuel conservation, cargo loss reduction, vessel damage, motion reduction and schedule integrity,” he said. “This enables ship owners to measure the return on investment for their own specific company.”
The complete solution Jeppesen Marine will install on the ships includes an on-board VVOS workstation connected to the ship’s communication network, a solid-state motion sensor to monitor and record ship motions, and an office program for fleet tracking, performance analysis, and monitoring. As additional support, Jeppesen Marine provides unlimited 24/7 route and meteorological guidance from its Alameda, Calif. office where naval architects are available to resolve technical questions and confirm the integrity of the planned route.
“VVOS enables ship captains to plan and execute the best passage route based on a specific ship’s seakeeping characteristics under different wind, sea and current conditions,” said Capt. John Horner, Jeppesen Marine director of commercial operations. “When we understand the company’s key performance indicators and we take into account the various factors of the ship and the environment, we can determine the safest and most economical route.”
VVOS incorporates sophisticated hydrodynamic modeling computations, together with advanced ocean forecasting tools, to recommend optimum speed and heading to minimize ship motions and reduce damage to the vessel and cargo, while maintaining schedule integrity. VVOS uses a detailed model of the ship’s motion, engine and propeller characteristics to predict the ship’s speed-over-ground and roll/pitch motions under forecast wind, wave and ocean current conditions for a given engine power and propeller RPM. While underway, VVOS provides ongoing monitoring and alarms for excessive motions and accelerations including parametric roll.
Jeppesen Marine VVOS was recently named a finalist in the Protection of the Marine and Atmospheric Environment category during the Seatrade Awards Ceremony Dinner held May 19, 2009 in London. The Seatrade Awards recognize outstanding contributions made over the last year for safe, efficient and environmentally friendly shipping.
(www.jeppesen.com)
